Method of manufacturing a bracelet



Filed NOV. 2, 1956 United States Patent" Cflice 2,891,306 METHOD OF MANUFACTURING A BRACELET Fernando Fontana, Sesto Calende, Italy Application November 2, 1956, Serial N 0. 620,026 Claims priority, application Italy March 3, 1956 2 Claims. (Cl. 29-414) The present invention relates to a method of manufacturing a bracelet in general and a small wire cloth made bracelet in particular, which is fitted for watches of every kind. The bracelet consists of a wire cloth and has tapers towards the respective ends in the manner known with leather bands. Furthermore, the wire cloth manufactured bracelet is attached to the watch by winding its inner ends around the small lateral watchs eyelets, in the manner conventional with leather bands.

It is one object of the present invention to provide a method of manufacturing a bracelet tapered towards the ends, wherein the taper increases towards the outer ends opposite the ends attached to the watch and the wire cloth bracelet comprises a gradually compressed wire cloth.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a method of manufacturing a wire cloth bracelet which comprises the steps of shaping the wire cloth and then stabilizing the thus obtained shape.

It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a method of manufacturing a wire cloth bracelet wherein an even wire cloth is disposed between guides and straightened by means of jaws and forced to assume the desired tapered shape.

It is also a further object of the present invention to provide a method of manufacturing a wire cloth bracelet wherein the previously tapered bands are stabilized in their tapered shape by means of compression between two iron plates and a fly press, simultaneously rendering the loops of the wire cloth rigid.

The compression is carried out by means of a mold, which serves the purpose, in the first place, to exclude the end portions of the band to be wound around the eyelets of the watch, from the stabilization. These end portions of the band will remain, thereby, preferably elastic and will permit of their winding around the eyelets of the watch.

In accordance with the present invention the mold functions additionally as means for providing desired impressions, as a small border around the bracelet.

With these and other objects in view which will become apparent in the following detailed description, the present invention will be clearly understood in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a bracelet applied to a watch;

Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view of the two bands forming the bracelet and disclosing the non-stabilized end portions to be wound around the eyelets of the watch;

Patented June 23,-1959 Fig.3 shows diagrammatically the initial stagei of the manufacturing processfor the bracelet;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary side view ofone' bandof'the bracelet; and

Fig. 5 is a section along the lines x-x of Fig. 2.

Referring now to the drawing and in particular to Fig. 1, the bracelet is widest at the respective inner ends of the bands, where it is secured to the watch 1 and is gradually narrowed or tapered down towards the opposite or outer ends of the respective bands.

Both bands 2 and 3 are secured to the watch 1 by winding their inner ends around the eyelets 4 of the watch 1 into engagement with the main portion of the bands, preferably by means of a welding line 5.

The turned over end portions 7 of the bands 2 and 3, which are wound around the eyelets 4 of the watch 1, are not stabilized by means of the compression, and for this reason they may be wound easily by a simple turn around the eyelets 4 of the watch 1.

The outer end portion 7 of the band 3 receives the buckle, which end portion 7' may be excluded from the stabilization, though it is preferable to secure the buckles to the end portion 7' directly by means of welding.

Referring now to Fig. 5, a small border 6 may be provided on the bracelet in form of an impression produced by the mold during the stabilizing compression step.

The manufacturing process, as demonstrated in Fig. 3, starts with the first working step performed on the integral wire cloth band 8. This first step amounts to constraining the band 8 to vary its shape from that shown in full lines to that shown in point-dotted lines and marked by 9.

The forced action for changing the shape is performed by moving both jaws 10 of a shaping device in the direction of the arrows, which jaws not only vary the profile of the band 8 but also change the end portions which form the loop for connection with a watch, by pressing together these portions much more than the remaining part of the band 8.

During the first working step it is advisable to dispose the band between two guides or iron plates, which may be formed for instance by the mold itself, so that the band may not be deformed involuntarily.

Upon termination of the first working step, the second step involving the stabilization of the band is performed. This second step consists in subjecting the wire cloth to a proper pressure between two planes or guide plates, allowing the mold to intervene, in order to create the desired impressions on the bracelet, as for instance, the small border 6.

The mold has recesses which are adapted to exclude the compressing action at the inner end portions of the band, to be attached to the eyelets of the watch.

Upon performing the first and second steps, the integral piece 8 will be cut in half along the cutting: line 11, so as to form the two separate bands 2 and 3.

While I have disclosed one embodiment of the present invention, it is to be understood that this embodiment is given by example only and not in a limiting sense, the scope of the present invention being determined by the objects and the claims.

I claim:

1. A method of manufacturing a wire cloth band comprising the steps of subjecting a longitudinal integral wire cloth band to lateral pressure in order to reshape said band into outwardly tapering down formations, cutting said band crosswise to its longitudinal axis into two equal portions, bending over the inner end portions to form loops, then subjecting said band to a compressing action in order to stabilize said loops in the position formed in said first step.

2. The method, as set forth in claim 1, wherein said compressing and stabilizing steps are performed vwithin a confined space, thereby forming predetermined impressions on said band. 1

UNITED STATES PATENTS Mead May 21, Durand Dec. 9, Kelley Oct. 16, Schmidt Nov. 17, Augenstein May 14, Cleinman Jan. 6, Hamilton Sept. 28,

FOREIGIT PATENTS Germany Nov. 30, 

